Jon Craig

Reporter

[email protected]

Pleasantville native Jon Craig is special editor for the Westchester, Putnam, Rockland, Orange and Dutchess Daily Voice sites. He is also the primary reporter for Daily Voice Plus Politics in Westchester and Fairfield.

Jon graduated from Cornell University and received his master's degree in journalism from Northwestern University. Across a 35-year career, he's worked as a reporter for daily newspapers in Chicago, New York, Ohio & Washington, D.C and as managing editor for weekly newspapers in Rye, White Plains and Harrison.

Jon also writes periodically for the Cornell Chronicle.

Career Highlights:

  • Covered Metro-North train wreck that killed a motorist and five commuters, 2015
  • Researched state investigative project for PublicIntegrity.org, 2011-12
  • National MADD award for database analysis of repeat drunk drivers in Ohio, 2008.
  • Henry F. Guggenheim Fellow, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, 2010.
  • Sentenced to jail for protecting confidential sources (won on appeal), 1999.
  • Broke 30th anniversary story about Kent State shootings — using FBI records, resurrecting theory a student informant triggered fatal National Guard volley, May 2000.
  • Covered Ground Zero after Sept. 11, 2001, terrorism attacks.
  • Uncovered voting problems before & during presidential recount in Ohio, 2004.
  • Witnessed botched Death Row execution of Romell Broom in 2009, one of more than a dozen I covered; Wrote about three inmates whose death sentences were commuted to life without parole.
  • Won IRE, SDX and multiple national & state awards for series led by Erik Kriss investigating New York General Assembly. 1994.
  • Guest lecturer at universities in NY & Ohio. Taught Syracuse high school journalism class.
  • Co-authored IRE-award winning series on illegal restraints/beatings at juvenile detention centers. Gov. Mario Cuomo had NY inspector general confirm what Hart Seely and I found at Division for Youth & fired top directors, 1993.
  • Survived Air Force Kool School training at North Pole, 1996.
  • Covered Persian Gulf wars, including 2002 bomb missions from Turkey and stateside Army/Air Guard training. 1991.
  • Supervised overnight coverage of Pan Am Flight 103 after Libyan bomb killed 35 Syracuse University students over Lockerbie, Scotland, 1988.
  • Covered aftermath of John F. Kennedy Jr.'s fatal plane crash from Cape Cod, 1999.
  • Greeted Kurt Vonnegut Jr. as Cornell Sun sports editor during daily's 100th anniversary dinner in May 1980. 

Jon Craig's Contributions

Teen Escapes Injury After Car Flips Over Avoiding Deer In Putnam Valley Teen Escapes Injury After Car Flips Over Avoiding Deer In Putnam Valley Teen Escapes Injury After Car Flips Over Avoiding Deer In Putnam Valley
Teen Escapes Injury After Car Flips Over Avoiding Deer In Putnam Valley PUTNAM VALLEY, N.Y. -- A 19-year-old driver escaped injury after his car flipped onto its roof at 9:35 p.m. Wednesday. A spokesman for the Putnam County Sheriff's Department identified the driver as Fabiano R. Olveira of Cortlandt Manor.  Olveira was driving alone in his 2007 Mazda sedan on Oscawana Lake Road in Putnam Valley when he swerved to avoid a deer crossing the road, according to Sheriff's Capt. William J. McNamara. According to the accident report, Olveira denied any injury and did not require medical attention. Olveira reportedly lost control of his car, crossed the roa…
Bear, Wild Animal Sightings Up In All Corners Of Fairfield County Bear, Wild Animal Sightings Up In All Corners Of Fairfield County Bear, Wild Animal Sightings Up In All Corners Of Fairfield County
Bear, Wild Animal Sightings Up In All Corners Of Fairfield County FAIRFIELD COUNTY, Conn. -- Wildlife experts differ on the exact cause, but one fact everyone agrees on: There have been more sightings of wild animals in Fairfield County and neighboring counties in 2015 than in recent years. Whether it's the wetter, warmer weather, increased housing starts or heightened public attention, area police are receiving more reports of coyotes, foxes, deer and geese -- as well as encounters with bears and hawks. Bear sightings were reported from all corners of Weston on July 3, according to the town’s animal control officer. And a bear was tranquilized and ca…
Greenburgh Police Chief Cites Brave, Intelligent 'Father-Son Team' Greenburgh Police Chief Cites Brave, Intelligent 'Father-Son Team' Greenburgh Police Chief Cites Brave, Intelligent 'Father-Son Team'
Greenburgh Police Chief Cites Brave, Intelligent 'Father-Son Team' GREENBURGH, N.Y. -- After an extensive search involving state, federal and local agencies, a revolver used to shoot a retired police officer on Monday was recovered in Yonkers, Greenburgh Police Chief Chris McNerney announced at a Tuesday news conference. McNerney said the weapon police believe was used in the attempted murder of Peter Schmidt Sr., a 22-year veteran of Greenburgh's police force, was found in a grassy portion of the shoulder along the Sprain Brook Parkway near Tuckahoe Road. McNerney identified Taqiy Walton, 34, of Elmsford "as the subject that shot the gun." Walton has …
Elmsford Men Charged With Attempted Murder After Ex-Greenburgh Officer Shot Elmsford Men Charged With Attempted Murder After Ex-Greenburgh Officer Shot Elmsford Men Charged With Attempted Murder After Ex-Greenburgh Officer Shot
Elmsford Men Charged With Attempted Murder After Ex-Greenburgh Officer Shot This story has been updated. GREENBURGH, N.Y. -- Two men from Elmsford have been charged with second-degree attempted murder, a felony, in connection with Monday's shooting of a retired Greenburgh police officer who police say interrupted a robbery in progress. Peter Schmidt Sr., who retired in 2005, was shot twice at 5 Payne Road, about 3:45 p.m. on Monday. The home at that address, which is in Schmidt's neighborhood, was unoccupied. Schmidt was mowing his lawn when he observed someone possibly breaking into the vacant home. When he confronted two men leaving the rear of the home, p…
Greenburgh Neighbors Praise Police, Call Off-Duty Officer 'Courageous' Greenburgh Neighbors Praise Police, Call Off-Duty Officer 'Courageous' Greenburgh Neighbors Praise Police, Call Off-Duty Officer 'Courageous'
Greenburgh Neighbors Praise Police, Call Off-Duty Officer 'Courageous' GREENBURGH, N.Y. -- Bayberry Road residents praised Greenburgh and Yonkers police for catching two suspects shortly after their neighbor, a retired police officer, was shot interrupting a break-in on Monday. Peter Schmidt Sr., who retired in 2005 after more than 20 years with the Greenburgh Police Department, was shot twice when he confronted two men exiting an unoccupied home at 5 Payne Road, in the North Elmsford section of the township, according to Chief Chris McNerney. Neighbors called Schmidt courageous for spotting and investigating suspicious activity in a home at the corner of …
Retired Greenburgh Police Officer Shot During Burglary, Suspects Caught Retired Greenburgh Police Officer Shot During Burglary, Suspects Caught Retired Greenburgh Police Officer Shot During Burglary, Suspects Caught
Retired Greenburgh Police Officer Shot During Burglary, Suspects Caught This story has been updated. WESTCHESTER COUNTY, N.Y. -- A retired Greenburgh police officer was shot and hospitalized Monday after interrupting a burglary in progress. Retired police officer Peter Schmidt is in stable condition after confronting apparent burglars as they were walking from the rear of 5 Payne Road in Elmsford, Greenburgh Police Chief Chris McNerney said late Monday afternoon. Schmidt lives in the neighborhood and knew the house was unoccupied at the time, McNerney said. After a brief discussion, one of the subjects shot Schmidt twice, once in the arm and once in the …
Wild Animal Sightings Up In All Corners Of Putnam Wild Animal Sightings Up In All Corners Of Putnam Wild Animal Sightings Up In All Corners Of Putnam
Wild Animal Sightings Up In All Corners Of Putnam PUTNAM COUNTY, N.Y. -- Wildlife experts differ on the exact cause, but one fact everyone agrees on: There have been more sightings of wild animals in Putnam and neighboring counties in 2015 than in recent years. Whether it's the wetter, warmer weather, increased housing starts or heightened public attention, area police are receiving more reports of coyotes, foxes, deer and geese -- as well as encounters with bears and hawks. On June 6, a bear sighting canceled camping for several hundred families who planned to camp overnight at Mahopac High School during the Relay for Life, according …
Bear, Wild Animal Sightings Up In All Corners Of Westchester Bear, Wild Animal Sightings Up In All Corners Of Westchester Bear, Wild Animal Sightings Up In All Corners Of Westchester
Bear, Wild Animal Sightings Up In All Corners Of Westchester WESTCHESTER COUNTY, N.Y. -- Wildlife experts differ on the exact cause, but one fact everyone agrees on: There have been more sightings of wild animals in Westchester and neighboring counties in 2015 than in recent years. Whether it's the wetter, warmer weather, increased housing starts or heightened public attention, area police are receiving more reports of coyotes, foxes, deer and geese -- as well as encounters with bears and hawks. In recent months, there have been sporadic bear sightings from Yonkers' southern border with New York City, north to Yorktown and Connecticut. Accordi…
Harrison Gets OK From State To Develop Beaver Swamp Wetlands Into A Park Harrison Gets OK From State To Develop Beaver Swamp Wetlands Into A Park Harrison Gets OK From State To Develop Beaver Swamp Wetlands Into A Park
Harrison Gets OK From State To Develop Beaver Swamp Wetlands Into A Park This story has been updated. HARRISON, N.Y. -- New York state environmental officials have given Harrison permission to transform wetlands along Beaver Swamp Creek into a municipal park, ball field and walking trails. For years, the town of Harrison sought to develop "Project Home Run,'' but encountered litigation from neighbors whose yards flood during heavy storms, and from the City of Rye, which has argued that tampering with the flood plain could cause additional problems. Rye Mayor Joseph Sack said, "We are evaluating the commissioner's decision now." Beaver Swamp Brook runs …
Westchester Police Officer Recounts Rescue Of Driver From Fiery SUV Crash Westchester Police Officer Recounts Rescue Of Driver From Fiery SUV Crash Westchester Police Officer Recounts Rescue Of Driver From Fiery SUV Crash
Westchester Police Officer Recounts Rescue Of Driver From Fiery SUV Crash GREENBURGH, N.Y. -- For Westchester County Police Officer Chris Gutierrez, responding to two or more car accidents is all in a day's work. But Thursday's tour-of-duty was all the more satisfying, Gutierrez told Daily Voice, because "everyone got out OK." Gutierrez, 35, had just begun his night shift when several motorists flagged him down about 4:10 p.m. along the southbound lanes of the Sprain Brook Parkway near Grasslands Road just past the Eastview exit in Greenburgh. The SUV careened off the parkway, through a guardrail, past thick bushes and trees before landing in a ditch. Guti…
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